The young centre-half yesterday put pen-to-paper on a new contract with the White Hart Lane side to keep him with the club until 2018.

Adjudged as one of the brightest young players coming through the ranks at Tottenham, Carter-Vickers has started to gain real experience with the USA age-grade sides and featured for his national under-23 outfit.

The teenager has spoken out about signing for the club as an 11-year-old and the progression that he has made since then.

“I joined the club when I was 11 and when you are that age and you join a club like Spurs you are delighted, absolutely buzzing,” he told the club’s official website.

“I remember going to school the next day and telling all my friends!

“The big dream even then was to perhaps one day play for the first team.

“This new deal shows the hard work I’ve put in so far has paid off and now it needs to continue. I will try to play well for the Under-21s, keep working, keep improving and hopefully my chance will come.”

On the face of it, Carter-Vickers will have to bide his time before getting a chance to feature for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

The all-Belgian partnership of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld has been cemented as the Argentine trainer’s first choice, with the likes of Federico Fazio, Kevin Wimmer and other also in contention.

The next step in the youngster’s career looks set to be a loan move to gain invaluable first-team football elsewhere.

Gareth McKnight

I am a freelance football journalist from Northern Ireland, currently living and working from Broome in Western Australia. After a degree in sports journalism from the University of Stirling in Scotland, I started in the online football world and have worked for leading websites and media outlets since. My knowledge and passion is based around the Premier League and European football, but I also have a soft spot for the Australian A-League.